East Zigzag Mountain
Moderate (to East Zigzag)
8-mile loop
1700 feet elevation gain
Open mid-May to mid-November
Use: hikers, horses
Difficult (to East and West Zigzag)
11.4-mile loop
2400 feet elevation gain
The meadow atop East Zigzag Mountain offers a full frontal view of Mt. Hood and glimpses of four more distant Cascade peaks. From the trailhead in Devil Canyon you can hike to East Zigzag’s summit via either of two loops: a moderate route or a more difficult loop that extends along a ridgecrest to West Zigzag’s lookout site. In either case it’s tempting to take the short, nearly level detour to Cast Lake, a nice lunch stop.
To find the trailhead from Portland, take Highway . . .
Excerpt from 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon & Southwest Washington.
